Project Overview

The site is allocated for residential development in the South Oxfordshire Core Strategy that requires 129 new homes to be built in Woodcote between 2011 to 2027. It is also allocated in the revised Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan (WNP) (2013-2035), reference WNP2-30. The Revised Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan (2013 – 2035) was ‘made’ on 13 October 2022. It is an updated version of the first Neighbourhood Plan that was adopted in May 2014. The Plan proposes the development of 129 homes in the Plan period. The overall total of 129 homes consists of 76 homes which were allocated in the previous Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan 2011 – 2017 and 53 additional homes were allocated in this review of the Plan.

Policy HS9: ‘Land to the east of Church Farmhouse’ allocates the Site for residential development of up to 30 dwellings subject to the following site-specific requirements:

• The housing development will occupy the blue shaded area edged in black as shown in Figure 3
• The area shaded in brown will be surfaced and made available as a public car park. This is additional to the parking spaces allocated to the houses in accordance with policy T7
• Vehicular access to the housing and car park should be provided in accordance with Oxfordshire County Council standards
• Footpath should be provided along the frontage of the site from the entrance to link with the footpath in front of Sunset House. This will require the hedge at this point to be moved back or replaced with new planting behind the footpath
• The existing hedge along the front of the site should be retained except where the footpath and entrance are created
• The existing hedge across the middle of the site should be relocated to the rear of the site into the area shaded yellow and edged in black. Additional native trees should be planted in the hedge to screen the site from views across the open fields
• The development should incorporate suitable landscaping to soften the appearance and increase biodiversity

Project Outcome

Lone Star have submitted an outline application for 30 dwellings and the provision of a community car park at land to the north of Reading Road, Woodcote. The site comprises of 1.55 hectares of agricultural land. The site does not contain any designated heritage assets, such as scheduled monuments, listed buildings, registered parks and gardens or registered battlefields, and it does not extend within any conservation areas. Around the Site there are 14 listed buildings with the Grade II Listed Church Farmhouse and associated farm buildings within c. 100 metres to the west of the site.

This outline planning application proposes a scheme that will deliver 30 homes in accordance with the adopted South Oxfordshire District Local Plan and Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan. It offers the following benefits and will mitigate the below constraints of the site:

• Consideration of potential impacts to the Grade II listed Church Farmhouse and associated Farm Buildings to the west of the Site
• Consideration of the nearby existing residential development
• Retaining and enhancing good quality trees/ hedgerows on Site for biodiversity and potential for creating new wildlife habitats
• Provision of parking on site to accommodate cars associated with dropping off and picking up students at the schools on the opposite side of the site
• Provision of new pedestrian links on Reading Road, and provisions of a safe connection from the Site to the schools on the opposite side of Reading Road
• Provision of a mix of homes including those suitable for local residents in need of accommodation
• Provision of at least 40% affordable housing on site
• Natural storm water attenuation area providing a setting to the front of the Site
• Central green space aiding legibility and providing a focal point
• Green infrastructure associated with attenuation pond, central green space and residential streets providing ecological and health benefit

Woodcote Planning Application Link – https://data.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P23/S2395/O#exactline

Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan Link – https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/NP2-Referendum-Version-1.pdf